Educational appliance



K. D. SMITH.

EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1921.

1,391,93 PatentedSept. 27,1921.

llllm mam grwenioz m aQJJLZZI, I 40mm mg UNITED STATES KIRK D. SMITH, OF'WENDELL, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE.

Specification-of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 27, 1921 Application filed January 22, 1921. Serial No. 439,314.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KIRK D. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wendell, in the county of Sullivan and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Educational Appliances, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention pertains to educational appliances, and it has for its general object to provide a simple and easily handled educational appliance, designed more especially for use in kindergartens to assist children, in an amusing and unique manner, to spell words, to associate words with pictures appropriate thereto, to place parts of pictures in proper relation to form complete pictures, to add different sums andto spell different words, and one embodying such construction that its disk-like sections may be moved with great facility about the spindle, on which they are mounted side by side, and yet there is no liability of the sections turning casually around the spindle and little likelihood of the manual turning of one section being attended by accidental turning of the section or sections next to it.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the peculiar and advantageous appliance as hereinafter described and definitely pointed out in my appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing which .is hereby made a part hereof:

Figure 1 is a broken elevation of my novel appliance.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the spindle in elevation and the disk-like sections and friction-creating sleeve in diametrical section.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both views of the drawing.

It is to be understood that the spindle 1 and the disk-like sections 2 are preferably made of wood, though they may be made of any other material or materials compatible with the purpose of my invention without involving departure from the scope of the same as claimed. I would also make it clear that the independently rotatable sections 2 may be retained on the spindle by confinement between a collar 3 and a pin 4, as shown in Fig. 1,. or in any other approved manner. v

As will be observed by reference to Fig. 1, some of the disks 2 are provided on their perimeters with letters, some have portions of pictures, others are provided with figures, and still others are equipped with letters, preferably of a different kind from the firstnamed letters-for instance, script letters as opposed to plain block letters. I would also have it understood that when deemed desirable, some disks may be provided on the spindle, each of which bears on its perimeter one or-more complete pictures, but these I have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate.

' The letters, the portions of pictures or complete pictures, the figures and the secondary letters or script letters may be applied to or formed in or on the perimeters of the sections 2 in any manner known in the arts, without affecting my invention; and it will also be manifest that any desired number of groups of sections 2 may be employed and that each group may comprise any desired number of sections without involving departure from the scope of the appended claims.

In the practical use of the appliance, it will be apparent that a child by manipulating the lettered sections 2 at the left of Fig. l is enabled to so relatively arrange letters on the sections as to form a word reading from left to right in the direction of the length of the appliance. The word pig is shown, by Way of example, and it will be noted that the next sections '2 toward the right bear the picture of a pig. This picture together with others, may be formed complete-on the perimeter of a single section 2, but I prefer to form parts of each picture on two or more adjoining sections 2, this because a child is likely to derive as much pleasure in turning the sections 2 and placing the different parts of a icture in proper position to form a whole, t e picture of a p g, for instance, as it does in alining the picture with the word denominating the same.

The sections 2 bearing figures are prefproves in readin other letter-bearing. secscript-bearing sections 2 at the right'of' Fig. 1, a child can form words reading" from. left to right lengthwise of the. device and thereby increase its knowledge of reading and its familiarity with script type as distin uished from plain or block ty It will a so be manifestthat as a chi (1 im- 1 be prevented, and that .the section or sectio'ns adjoinin a section that is moved manually be inhi ited from partaking of the movement of the latter section. I therefore provide a friction-creating sleeve '5 about the spindle 1 and between the same, and the inner rtions of the sections 2. From this it fol ows that the frictional contact between each' section 2 and the sleeve 5 is greater than the frictional contact between said section and any adjoining section, and a afforded throughout the length of the 'de-.

hence when the first-named section is turned by hand there is no liability of its movement being attended by casual. movement of an adjoining section or sections. The friction-creating sleeve 5 is formed of felt or an other material or composition, and is tig tly interposed between the spindle 1 and sections 2, as clearly shown in Fig.2. I also provide the recesses-6 in the inner portions'of the opposed sides of the sections 2 so that but small portions of the said sides are in frictional contact with each other and at the same time the continuity of the peripheral surface of the appliance 1s preserved which is advantageous because there is no break in a picture when 'ortions of. the same are properly matched. oreover the mounting of the several sections 2 on a single con tinuous friction-creating sleeve 5 has the effect of holding the sections in close contact with each other as is desirable.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that my novel appliance is simple and inexpensive, is susceptible of being easily adjusted, and is calculated to simultaneously.

instruct and amuse a child with the result .that the childs interest is held for a much' that appliances embodying my invention may be made with one, two or more groups seats 2 each disk-like section is without departure from my claims. I f

While the sections 2 are preferably of circular form, they may be made of octagoml or any other suitable exterior shape without departing from the scope of my claims.-

Havin described my invention, what I claim an desire to secure by Letters Pat-' cut, is:

1. The hreindescribed educational device confining consisting essentially of a spindlt:i1 1

e, a p umeans s aced a rt on the spin rality o disk-like sections having central apertures and arranged side by side be-' tween said confining means and around the indie, and bearing educational devices on t eir peripheries, said sections having recesses in the inner portions'of their sides and being arranged with the outer portions only of said sides in contact, whereby frictional 'contact between the sections is mini mized, a wide periphery is provided on each section for the display of an educational device, and an unbroken peripheral surface is vice, and a continuous sleeve, of frictioncreating material, extendin between the confini means and throu g of side y side sections an resting snugly the plurality between and in contact with the spindle and the walls of the apertures-in the sections, whereby the. friction between the sleeve and reater than the friction between adjacent isk-like sections,

tions close together. a

2. An educational device comprising a spindle, confiningv means s aced apart on t e spindle, a plurality of dlsk-like sections and the sleeve is enabled to hold the sechavin central apertures and arranged side by si e between said confining means and around the spindle and bearing educational devices on their peripheries, and a continuous sleeve, of friction-creating material, extendin between the confining means and throug the plurality of side by side' sec-. tions and resting snu ly between and in contact with the spin e and the walls of the apertures in thesections, whereby the friction'between' the sleeve and each disklike section is greater than the friction between adjacent disk-like sections.

' In-test1mony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, KIRK D. SMITH.-

Witnesses:

- J. D. WALTON, G. M. PAUL 

